Plant transplanter



Oct. 7,1947. 3 NELSON 7 2,428,499

PLANT TRANSPLANTER Filed March 10, 1945 if'za. 5.

I INVENTOR.

MQV/f B. Nelson kammw ATTOR EY Patented Oct. 7, 1947 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 2,428,499 PLANTITRANSPLANTER Mark B. Nelson, San Diego,Calif.

. Application March 10, 1945, Serial No. 581,996

1 Claim. (01. 47-37 My invention relates to a plant transplanter, moreparticularly for use in removing various plants from the ground andplacing them in a new position or location in the ground and the objectsof my invention are:

First, to provide a plant transplanter which is particularly adapted foruse in transferring young plants from one place to another withoutdisturbing the growth or adversely aifecting the plant during suchoperation.

Second, to provide a plant transplanter of this class which maintainsthe soil around the roots of the plant in bent compressed relationwhereby the fine roots of the plant are not disturbed in relation withthe plant roots adjacent said roots in the soil;

Third, to provide a plant transplanter of this class in which a latchmeans is provided in connection with the handles thereof for positivelymaintaining the soil around the plant roots in proper compresseddensity;

Fourth, to provide a plant transplanter of this class having a sharpperipheral edge arranged to make a clean cut outline of the plant rootsin the soil whereby the plant roots are not disturbed by positioning thesoil casing in surrounding relation with the plant root;

Fifth, to provide a plant transplanter of this class having asubstantially cylindrical casing in which the opposite edges areoverlapped relatively to each other providing a substantially spiral incross section soil casing which is adapted to form a continuous casingaround the plant root and is readily contracted to exert the properpressure on the soil while holding it in normal contact with the flangeroot; and

Sixth, to provide a plant transplanter of this class which is verysimple and economical of construction, eflicient in its action and.which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will ap-, pear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafterdescribed in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claim,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the charactersof reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my soil transplanter showing a blockof soil, together with a plant removed from the soil by my planttransplanter; Fig. 2 is an enlarged top or plan view lll 'lar parts andportions throughout the several lb and lo are forced together.

ofmy plant transplanter showing the soil casing and handle membersthereof in open position and-further showing portions broken away and insection to amplify the illustration; Fig. 3

is a side view thereof showing portions broken away and in section toamplify the illustration; and Fig. i is a-fragmentary sectional viewtaken from the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference refer to simiviews of the drawings:

The handle ring l, soil casing member 2 and the handle latch 3constitute the principal parts and portions of my plant transplanter.

The handle ring I is a band-like member having an arcuate portion la andextending diverging handles lb and lo. It will be noted that the arcuateportion la of the handle ring l is resilient and tends to force thehandles lb and lo apart. Secured by riveting, or otherwise as desired,to the handle ring I is the soil casing 2. This soil casing 2 ispreferably in the form of a circular in cross section cylinder havingoverlapping edges providing a substantially spiral in cross sectioncylinder wall. As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the overlapping edges2a and 2b slide relatively to each other when the handles The upper edgeof the soil casing 2 is secured to the arcuate portion la of the handlering I and the opposite end of the soil casing 2 is provided with asharp edge portion 20, as shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Thissharp edge 20 is arranged to define and cut the outline of the soilblock in which the plant is positioned. The handle latch 3 is pivotallymounted on the pin 30, in connection with the extending end of thehandle lb. This han dle latch 3 is provided with a tooth 3b. adapted toengage the ledge Id of the handle lc, as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 ofthe drawings.

The operation of my plant transplanter is substantially as follows:

Assuming that a certain plant must be moved from one position in thesoil to a new location, the operator of my plant transplanter mustproceed as follows: The soil casing 2 is taken in the normal openposition, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and the handles lb and loare also in substantially the position as shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings when the soil casing 2 is placed over and around the plant. Thesharp edge portion 20 is then forced downwardly cutting the soil aroundthe roots of the plant until the handle ring I is near the surface ofthe soil. Then the operator forces the handles lb and la together untilthe latch 32) is positioned over the ledge lb of the handle lc.

It Will be noted that during the process of forc ing the handles lb andlo together, the inside diameter of the soil casings 2 is reduced andthe edge portions 2a and 2b slide away from each around the root of theplantto' be properly coinpressed and maintained in close engagement withsaid root, having the latch 3b in engagement with the ledge Id wherebythe handle la t ch i'l holds the handles lb and lc together. "The soil""l5,..having diverging handle portions spaced some casing 2 is liftedupwardly Carrying With'it the soil therein Which'contains the roots ofthe,plant being removed from the soil. The soil'casifig 2 is then placedinto a hole in the soil preparedflto receive the block of soil about theplant roots. The handle ring I, is positionedas'near as practical to theupper surface ofthe' soil at the new location. Then the surroundingsoilis, pressed 1 inwardly against th 9111 a de NE? .5 3 FWi '2 and thehandle latch ,3 is disengaged permittingthe handles lb-and lc to beforcedapart in .order to enlarge the diameter f the soil casing 2 andremove the same irom itspositionaboutthe block of soil encasingtheplantoroot.

U Though I haveshown andq sc 'bd aparticular construction,combinationand arrangementof parts and portions, I do not wish to belimited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement butdesire to include in the scope of my invention the construction,combination and 5 arrangement substantially as set forth in the apclaimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

0N In a anti ti ansplanter l offtlie :(ll assi described,

the combination of a hollow substantially cylinjidrical soil casing,spiral in cross section with v overlapping edges at all times and aresilient 'handlering secured around one end thereof and distancefromthe overlapping edges and extend- 'ing siihstantially radiallytherefrom.

MARK B. NELSON.

file of this patent: 7 v

"UNITED STATES PATENTS 25 Number Name v Date 810,592 Johnson Jan. 13,1885 383,112 Hanson June/28,1921 328,858 "G1ass'c6ck Dec. '30, 19191,110,220

